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Aug.

C. H. BROWN METAL SHOE SHANK Filed April 22. 1924 2 t allumlil p' o INVENTOR 6 B/POW/V.

' ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES:

CHARLES H. BBOVVN, OF FLUSHING, NEW YOEI'L METAL SHOE SHANK.

Application filed April 22, 1924. Serial No. 708,237.

The objects of the present invention are: to provide a metal shoe shank particularly adapted to support both sides of a shoe at the welt and especially along the arch of the shoe; to provide a shank iron having lateral extensions to support the foot in the shoe; to provide such a shank iron constructed and arranged so as to prevent the leather of the shoe from bending under the arch of the foot at the inside thereof; and to provide such a shank iron arranged to prevent what is termed rolling of the foot and shoe.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a shank constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an inverted longitudinal section taken as on the line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is aninverted transverse section taken as on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Description: The details of the invention comprise a metal shank iron 10 formed substantially to the shape of a shoe sole and provided with a rounded heel plate 11 at one end and a flared toe portion 12 at the opposite end. Intermediate its ends the shank iron is bowed substantially to conform to the arch of the shoe to which it is applied and provided with a centrally dis away from the central rib 13 and upwardly of the shoe sole when in position and which terminate along their side edges in laterally projecting flanges 18 and 19, which flanges are ofiset to the respective planes of the side walls of which they form extensions. These flanges 18 and 19 extend substantially along the entire length of the shank iron and their particular function is to engage under and support the insole and welt of the shoe along each side thereof.

It is particularly important that some means be provided for strengthening the side edges of the shoe along the arch of the insole, as it has been found in practice that, due to the yielding of the shoe leather underneath the arch of the foot, the shoe will become materially weakened at this point with consequent detrimental effects to the entire structure. The present invention has been designed particularly to overcome this objection and to meet the requirements of a shank iron which will perform the functions desired. It is an important feature of the invention that the body of the iron formed by the inclining walls 16 and 17 is by its particular arrangement peculiarly adapted to insure a greater reinforcing effeet for the entire shank iron, and particularly is this effect accentuated by the embodiment in the iron of the laterally extending flanges 18 and 19 for supporting the shoe along the welts at each side thereof and inside the stitching which secures the welt and the wearing sole of the shoe.

I claim:

1. A shoe shank as described comprising an arched plate, a longitudinal rib centrally disposed on said plate, and flanges extending from the side edges of said plate a distance requisite for engagement under the welt of a shoe.

2. A shoe shank as described comprising a plate longitudinally arched intermediate its ends, a centrally disposed longitudinal rib extending along said plate, longitudinal ribs on said plate adjacent the side edges thereof, and flanges projecting laterally from the side edges of said plate beyond said ribs a requisite distance for engaging under and supporting the welt of a shoe.

3. A shoe shank as described, comprising ametal plate adapted to conform to the insole of a shoe and arched intermediate its ends, a centrally disposed longitudinal rib. pressed from said plate, the body of said plate being inclined from said rib towards its side edges to provide in effect side walls, and relatively wide offset laterally projecting flanges at the outer edges of the side walls for supporting engagement under the welt of a shoe.

4. A shoe shank as described, comprising a metal plate adapted to conform to the in sole of a shoe and arranged intermediate its ends, a centrally disposed longitudinal rib ill) 5. A shoe shank comprising an :ll'l'lliki plate the lateral poi-(ions whereof are :m gulaily disposed to appi'oidmalely LUlltflllil to the longitudinal :neh oi the himmn l'ooh said plate having ojll'sel edge pm'tions for extending under to support the welt lml Ill-ll l llN.

tion of the shank o! the shoe. 

